MR study of water distribution in a beech (Fagus sylvatica) branch using relaxometry methods

Mikac, Urška (author), Merela, Maks (author), Oven, Primož (author), Sepe, Ana (author), Serša, Igor (author)

Wood is a widely used material because it is environmentally sustainable, renewable and relatively inexpensive. Due to the hygroscopic nature of wood, its physical and mechanical properties as well as the susceptibility to fungal decay are strongly influenced by its moisture content, constantly changing in the course of everyday use. Therefore, the understanding of the water state (free or bound) and its distribution at different moisture contents is of great importance. In this study, changes of the water state and its distribution in a beech sample while drying from the green (fresh cut) to the absolutely dry state were monitored by 1D and 2D $^1$H NMR relaxometry as well as by spatial mapping of the relaxation times T$_1$ and T$_2$. The relaxometry results are consistent with the model of homogeneously emptying pores in the bioporous system with connected pores. This was also confirmed by the relaxation time mapping results which revealed the moisture transport in the course of drying from an axially oriented early- and latewood system to radial rays through which it evaporates from the branch. The results of this study confirmed that MRI is an efficient tool to study the pathways of water transport in wood in the course of drying and is capable of determining the state of water and its distribution in wood.

• Language: English
• Keywords: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), relaxation times, beech (Fagus sylvatica), wood, moisture content (MC)
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 26, iss. 14, art. 4305
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-135993
• UDC: 53
• ISSN on article: 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules26144305
• COBISS.SI-ID: 71037699
• Publication date in RUL: 06.04.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Molecules
• Shortened title: Molecules
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1420-3049
• COBISS.SI-ID: 18462981

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 16.07.2021